The origins of the chain date to 1913, when Russian immigrant and founder Abraham Cohen purchased a harness shop in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

[2] As the automobile rose in popularity over the next decade, the store began selling tires and was renamed Lechmere Vulcanizing Company.

[2] When his children—sons Maurice, Philip, and Norman and daughter Nan—entered the business after World War II, it added sales of consumer appliances.

[2] The First Street building was expanded in 1962 to a 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) store, to which office equipment, jewelry, hardware, and further goods were added.

[3] In 1968, in order to capitalize further growth, the Cohens sold the chain to Dayton's, a department store based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

[2] Lechmere introduced many retailing innovations, including discount pricing and a central pick-up counter to make shopping easier for customers.

[citation needed] In 1981, the company name was simplified to Lechmere, Inc.[2] It also began expanding outside its New England base, including locations such as Charlotte, North Carolina, Birmingham, Alabama, and Atlanta, Georgia.